System for shooting wells by radio



May 6, 1930. w. F BLEECKER v1,757,288

SYSTEM FOR SHOOTING WELLS BY RADIO Filed Sept. 7. 1926 v12 Sheets-*SheetE` L--f' /3/ /5/ j INVENTOR.

Patented May 6 1930 PATENT, OFFICE WARREN F. BLYEECKER, OF BOULDER,COLORADO vSYSTEM FOR SHOOTING WELLS BY RADIO Application med september7, 1926. semi No. 133,994.

My invention relates to a system and appa.- ratus for shooting oil wellsand its primary object resides in providing in combination with anexplosive, a detonator and means to 5 effect the operation thereofthrough the medium of an electric current set up by electromagneticwaves produced in a distant sending element of wireless transmission.

An embodiment of the invention has been 10 illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in4 the several views of which like parts aresimilarly designatedv and in which Figure l represents a sectional viewof a well showing the position of a torpedo in which the detonator andits operating medium are embodied, relative to an explosive charge inthe bottom of the welland a sending station of electro-magnetic waves,exteriorly of the same,

Figure 2, a sectional elevation of the torpedo adapted for use in thesystem, in which a receiving antenna is disposed outside the shell inwhich the detonator and its operating medium are enclosed,

Figure-3,21. similar viewvillustrating the construction of a torpedohaving its antenna v within t-he shell or casing,

Figure 4, a diagrammatic-view of the detonator circuits of the torpedoesshown in Figures 2 and 3, y

Figure 5, a similar diagrammatic view'of a circuit of modified form andarrangement,

Figure 6, an enlarged? sectional and `partially diagrammatic view of anantenna adapted for use in a torpedo of the type illustrated in Figure2, and

Figure 7, a section taken on the lineI 7-7 Figure 5.

Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings,

the numeral 5` designates an oil well having a metal casing 6. A chargeof high explosive is contained in the bottom portion of the well as atA7, and lowered upon the charge is a tor- I'pedo which embodies thedetonator element '.which, as stated hereinbefore, is actuated by lelectromagnetic waves produced in a wireless sending station locatedexteriorly of the 'well asindicated diagrammatically at 8.

' The sending element as shown in Figure 1, is of the spark gap type inwhich strong electro-magnetic impulses are produced by the passage of anelectric spark across a gap 9 in an electric-circuit as a result of theexcitation of a transformer 10. Included in the circuit is an aerial 12which sends out the electro'- magnetic waves produced in the oscillatorycircuit, for the purpose of exciting a current in a correspondingantenna of the torpedo as will hereinafter be described.

The sending element as described is preferred by reason of itssimplicity and reliability in producing electro-magnetic waves of therequired strength and frequency but it is to be understood that otherarrangements may be employed, such as one in which the transmitteremploys undamped waves, using an oscillating vacuum tube. The circuit ofthe transmitter includes as usual, a condenser 13 to give capacity tothe circuit, and it may include choke coils 14 for the purpose ofprotecting the transformer. I

N ow referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, the torpedo comprises acarrier preferably in the form of a metal shell l5 hermetically closedat its top by a flanged plug 16 fastened by means of screws 17. A gasket18 of resilient material is placegrbetween the edge of the shell andthe'lan'ge of the plug, and the plug has'a central opening for thepassage of the *wires of an electric detonating circuit within the shellto an antenna outside the same.

The antenna 19 may be composed of a loop -wound on an insulating body 2Oand protected from moisture and other harmful inluences by a covering 21made of guttapercha, paraiin or the like as shown in Figures 6 and 7. v

The body hasv a screw-nipple 22 by means of which it is fastened in theopening of the plug of the torpedo-shell and the nipple has bushings 23of non-'conducting material for the passage of the terminal ends of theantenna loop. t Inside the shell is a tubular container 2l in which aredisposed a charge of explosive as at 25, one or more caps 26 adapted toignite the charge by the passage of an electric current, a dry batterycell 27, and a colicrer 28. The battery is the source of electricity ofthe detonator circuit which as best shown in Figure 4, includes aconductor 29 connecting a pole of the source of electricity with aterminal of each of the caps and having. a break in which the coherer isconnected, and a conductor 30 which connects the opposite pole of thesource with the other terminals of the caps. A

The circuit by which the coherer is excited through the wavestransmitted to the receiving antenna 19 from the transmitter and whichmay be considered as being 1n operation a part of the detonator circuit,comprises two conductors 31 which connect opposite ends of the antennawith opposite ends of the coherer, and a condenser included in one ofthe conductors. l

The Jform of the torpedo illustrated in Figure 3 differs from thathereinabove described mainly in that the antenna is enclosed within theshell. Since the antenna is thus protected from moisture and otheriniuences it requires no covering and may be made of a loop wound upon asimple support mounted in any convenient manner in the container.

l The shell v32 is made of glass or other nonconductive material, and aglass cover 33 at its upper end is held in place by tie rods 34. In casethe coherer will not carry sufficientA current to complete the detonatorcircuit to lire the initial explosive charge of the torpedo, a relaycircuit including a relay switch 36 and a battery 37 may be employed toprovide a current of augmented strength as indicated in the same view.

It is to be understood, however that the relay-switch is desirable onlywhere circumstances require the provision of an increased current flowto operate the caps which ignite the charge in the torpedo, Underordinary conditions therelay may be omitted, since owing to the limited4gistance between the sending station and the mouth of the well and thereceivingantenna of the torpedo near the bottom of the same. no greatamount of sensitiveness is required to decrease theresista-nce in thecoherer when' struck by the electromagnetic waves, so as to transmitsuficient current to explode the detonators. y

In the foregoing description the controlling element of the detonatorcircuit has been referred to as a coherer and the drawings have beencorrespondingly made to include an element of this particular type.Itwill be readily apparent, however, that the system is not restrictedto theyuse of a coherer Isince any device having a resistance which isnormally very high but greatly decreases under the influence ofelectro-magnetic waves, may be employed within the scope of theinvention.

As an example of substitutions of the above stated character, a vacuumtube may be so connected in the circuit that the electro-magnetic vwavesfrom the transmitter cause an increased iow of current in theplate-circuit. Other variations in the arrangement and construction ofparts both at the sending station and the receiving end of the systemmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the inventionwhich, broadly, consists in the ignition of an explosive charge ,byelectro-magnetic waves generated at a distant point, for the mainpurposeot` blasting or shooting oil wells or other similar shafts sunkinto the earth.

It will be evident that the system provides a means for i niting thecharge in the well at any selecte( time without the use of connectionssuch as are employed in the present systems of shooting wells byelectricity, and that owing to the strength of the electromagnetic wavesexcited at the sending station, required for the proper ,functioning ofthe cooperating parts at the receiving end, the system is of necessityso insensitive as to be secure against the influence 'of waves ofordinary strength such as those produced in radio transmission.

In the operation of the system the torpedo is lowered into the well upona main explosive charge previously v or simultaneously .placed in thebottom portion of the same.

The transmitting station at the mouth of the well is energized byexcitation of the'transformer through the medium of a switch 38, for theproduction of electromagnetic waves which are radiated by the aerial 12and received by the-antenna 19 of the receiving element at the bottom ofthe well.

The electromagnetic waves, striking the antenna circuit of the receivingdevice, increase the conductivity of the coherer or lotherelectroreceptive appliance and cause increased current to ipyv throughthe detonator circuit, which iigconsequence i nites the initial chargeof the torpedo. The c arge thus exploded lires the main charge in theWell. V

It will be understood that where a coherer is used as the resistantelement, current may constantly pass through the detonator circuit,

' which current however is insuicient to ignite the caps, until theconductivity of the coherer is increased by the electromagnetic wavesgenerated at the sending station. In case a vacuum tube is employed, thedetonator-circuit receives current only when the electro-magnetic wavesfrom the transmitter cause an increased iiow of current through theplatecircuit.

The arrangement and construction of the parts collectively referred toas a torpedo in the foregoing description may also be varied Within thescope of the invention. The caps may, for example, be outside the shellcontaining the circuits, in which case the initial charge can be omittedor the initial charge vmay be placed outside the shell andthe capsarranged in operative proximity to v the charge.

It is further possible that the mere production of a spark in a circuitcontrolled by an electroreceptive device in an antenna cir- 6 cuitniay'ignite the charge and thereby avoid the use of caps.

The terni"detonator as used, embraces any element or association ofelements capable of iiri'ng an explosive charge for shooting a Well, andit includes a fuhnin'ate adapted to be ignited by electric 'or otherimpulse, and a priming charge adapted to be exploded by the burningrofthe ulminate.

lf the detonator is contained in the same water tight casing as thereceiving device, the priming charge must explode with suiicientviolence to detonate the main explosive charge whichis outside thecasing, or if the detonator is outside the casing, the fulminate must beprotectedfrom moisture by suitable water-proofing means and theelectrical connections between the receiving device and the detonatormade by vinsulated Wires or V other electrical conductors.

The explosive, by which is understood any high explosive such `as Ilitro-glycerin, gelacarried by the; casing, and a loop antenna mountedin said compartment and in communication with the detonator. l

3. A device for shooting wells comprising a torpedo having a casing, adetonator cartin and the like, is ordinarily placed-0utside the casingbecause of its relatively large bulkl and also because the explosives atpresent used in shooting wells, require no protection from water, oil orother liquid.

The receiving device must 'obviously be protected froinany liquid thatmay be presreliable operation it should also be protected from dirt anddust or from contact with surrounding objects. For these reasons it ispractical to place the receiving device in a water tight casing asherein described and shown in the drawings, and' it is in accordancewith good engineering practice to'enclose the detonator in the sameprotective casing. .A1-l

ent in the well, and in order to yinsure its though as statedhereinbefore, this-is noty essential, it is preferred to employ theinvention in this form, together with a water-proof antenna placedoutside the casing.

Having thus described myA invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Pat- 1. A device for shooting wells comprising a torpedohaving` a casing, a detonator carried by the casing, an antennadetachably mounted on the casing and having a water proof enclosuretherefor, and means in the casing to effect operation of the detonatorby electro-magnetic Waves transmitted to the antenna from a distantpoint of wave production.

2. A device for shooting wells comprising a torpedo having a casing, adetonato'r carried by the casing, means in the casing to `etect theoperation of the detonator by electro-magnetic Waves 'transmitted from ae5 point of wave production, a compartment ried thereby and-means in thecasing to eiect 70, the operation ofthe detonator by electromagneticwaves transmitted from a point of wave production, and a detachablymounted water proof compartment carried by the casing and enclosing anantenna.

In testimony whereof I have a'liixed my signature. l

WARREN F. BLEECKER.

